Today in History

Today is Sunday, June 15, the 166th day of 2014. There are 199 days left in the year. This is Father's Day.

Today's Highlight in History:

On June 15, 1864, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton signed an order establishing a military burial ground which became Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

On this date:

In 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to appoint George Washington head of the Continental Army.

In 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state.

In 1849, James Polk, the 11th president of the United States, died in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1902, the 20th Century Limited, an express passenger train between New York and Chicago, began service. (The Limited made its last run in December 1967.)

In 1904, more than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York's East River.

In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an act making the National Guard part of the U.S. Army in the event of war or national emergency.

In 1944, American forces began their successful invasion of Saipan during World War II. B-29 Superfortresses carried out their first raids on Japan.

In 1962, Students for a Democratic Society issued the Port Huron Statement at the conclusion of a five-day convention in Michigan.

In 1978, King Hussein of Jordan married 26-year-old American Lisa Halaby, who became Queen Noor.

In 1984, composer-librettist Meredith Willson ("The Music Man") died in Santa Monica, California, at age 82.

In 1994, Israel and the Vatican established full diplomatic relations. The Walt Disney animated feature "The Lion King" was released by Buena Vista Pictures.

Ten years ago: The Southern Baptist Convention quit a global federation of Baptist denominations during a meeting in Indianapolis as SBC leaders denounced the Baptist World Alliance and other groups for accepting liberal theology.

Thought for Today: "In trying to make something new, half the undertaking lies in discovering whether it can be done. Once it has been established that it can, duplication is inevitable." -- Helen Gahagan Douglas, U.S. Representative (1900-1980).

Tim Berners-Lee received the $1.2 million Millennium Technology Prize in Helsinki, Finland, for creating the World Wide Web. The Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-87 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals for their first championship in 14 years.

Five years ago: Gen. Stanley McChrystal took charge of nearly 90,000 U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan. President Barack Obama, pushing health care reform before the annual meeting of the American Medical Association in Chicago, bluntly told the doctors he was against their highest legislative priority -- limiting malpractice awards. The president returned to the White House, where he met with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.

One year ago: Wild celebrations broke out in Tehran and other cities as reformist-backed Hassan Rowhani capped a stunning surge to claim Iran's presidency. Paul Soros, 87, a successful innovator in shipping, philanthropist and older brother of billionaire financier George Soros, died in New York.